Aging Well by Anne Brockhoff, photos by Steven Hertzog
These four iconic Lawrence watering holes weathered a legislative storm 35 years, landing them in a good economic position today.
When Rick Renfro bought Johnny’s Tavern in 1978, he didn’t see the need to change much. College kids still flocked to the North Lawrence bar to quaff beer and have fun, just as they had for decades. Then Kansas bumped its legal drinking age up to 21 in 1985, forcing Renfro and other business owners to rethink their party plans. “That moment’s seared into my brain,” Renfro says of the law, which the Kansas Legislature phased in over three years. “That was my whole business model—college kids between 18 and 21.” It wasn’t the only law to change around that time. Farm wineries and microbreweries were legalized, giving rise to businesses like Free State Brewing Company. Liquor-by-the-drink got a thumbs-up, but the state later banned smoking inside public spaces. The changes proved painful for Lawrence bars, but mainstays such as Johnny’s, The Wheel and West Coast Saloon persevered while creating jobs, generating tax revenue and adding to the city’s unique character. “I think it’s more than the money and the jobs, and the economic side of things that these places bring,” Renfro says. “They bring a personality to Lawrence. They’re all diverse, and you can count on them.” 44
